Concrete-reinforced steel vessel construction



April 8, 1969 R. w. ERLBACHER 3,437,068

ONCRETE-REINFORCED STEEL VESSEL CONSTRUCTION Sheet Filed May 18, 1967 INVENTORZ L 52 I00 2 I28 60 64 l p 4o Rosser w. ERLBACHe'Q CONCRETE-REINFORCED STEEL VESSEL CONSTRUCTION Robert W. Erlbacher, 920 N. Fountain,

Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701 Filed May 18, 1967, Ser. No. 639,516

Int. Cl. B631) 3/40 U.S. Cl. 114-65 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Vessel corner posts or stringers constructed entirely of steel and concrete material. Vessel comprises a deck, a therebelow hull section, and external corner posts or stringer and headlog sections that are integrated with and constitutes the external cover portions of the hull section. Most of the steel components are appropriately welded to one another, whereas some are maintained in position by the concrete material itself.

Field of the invention Watercraft for use principally on rivers, canals and harbor sites, in the transportation of freight and other cargo. Directed particularly to such type of watercraft, the invention provides a novel vessel barge construction as will appear.

Summary of the invention The invention is directed to the provision of an improved vessel and barge structure that is compact, durable, and adapted for use on a body of water in the well understood manner without requiring recurrent repairs. The steel clad concrete external corner posts or stringers at the corners of the vessel protect against damage caused by ramming other vessels, wharves, and like objects encountered in water traffic, at a relatively low expense and light weight.

To this end, all of the external components of the vessel are constructed of steel, and the internal components are constructed either of steel, or of concrete material reinforced by elements of steel material.

The invention is illustrated in detail on two sheets of drawings that accompany this specification. It will be understood however, that these drawings are presented in an exemplary sense, and that the invention is not limited to the precise details of construction shown, and may be used on other vessels besides the barge shown.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a barge constructed in accordance with the concept of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the barge;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in vertical section, taken longitudinally of the barge on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a similar view taken transversely of the barge on the ilne 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section, taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section, taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 with certain elements included in the headlog section being omitted;

United States Patent 0 3,437,068 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 "ice FIGURE 11 is an enlarged view in vertical section, taken on the line 1111 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 12 is a similar view taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 8;

Detailed description of the invention With reference particularly to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a barge constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 14. The barge 14 includes a deck plate 16, a therebelow hull body generally designated 18, and a headlog section generally designated 20. The deck 16 comprises a rectangular steel plate that is welded to the upper surface of the hull body 18, and the headlog section 20 is incorporated in, and constitutes the front or leading end of said hull body.

Included in the hull body 18 are a top plate 22, a bottom plate 24, a front end plate 26, a rear end plate 28, and a pair of opposed side plates 30, all of said plates being of steel. The forward end portion 32 of the bottom plate 24 slopes arcuately upwardly toward the headlog section 20, and as best seen in FIGURE 8, terminates in a front end portion 34 that projects beyond the plate 26 and into said headlog section. The lower end portion 36 of the plate 26 is forwardly inclined, and as shown, abuts against the front end portion 34 of the bottom plate.

The hull body 18 further includes: a pair of vertical rear corner post structures generally designated 38; a pair of horizontal rear corner post structures generally designated 40; a pair of horizontal top corner post structures generally designated 42; a pair of horizontal bottom corner post structures generally designated 44; a pair of front vertical corner post structures 46; a plurality of transversely spaced upper brace plates 47; and a plurality of transversely spaced lower brace plates 48. The pair of front corner post structures 46 are also included in the components comprising the headlog section 20. All of the corner post structures are similar except that they are of different lengths, and the bottom structures 44 include arcuately upwardly sloping forward end portions in correspondence with the contour of the hull bottom plate portion 32.

With attention directed particularly to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, each vertical rear post structure 38 is comprised of a column of concrete 50 that is confined within an elongated protective steel shell including an inner angularly contoured steel form 52, and a parallel outer arcuately contoured steel form 54. A plurality of vertically spaced stiffener plates 56 is interposed in the concrete column 50 between the upper and lower end portions of the form shell.

The stiffener plates 56 are formed of steel, and are contoured to engage against the inner surfaces of the forms 52 and 54. Each stiffener plate is provided centrally with a circular opening 58, and peripherally with a series of arcuate indentations 60 for weight saving purposes. Consequently in pouring the concrete to form the column 50, the wet material flows through and around the opening 58 and the indentations 60. Thus when the con crete hardens, the plates 56 are imbedded in the column, as should be understood. The opening 58 and the indentations 60 furthermore lighten the weight of each plate 56 without decreasing its reinforcing capacity.

As illustrated in FIGURE 6 with respect to one of them, each of the opposed marginal side edge portions 62 of the rear end plate 28 extends into one of the opposed form shells, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous vertical line of welding 64, and to the form 54 by a continuous vertical line of welding 66. Similarly, as also illustrated in FIGURE 6 with respect to one of them, each of the rear marginal edge portions 68 of the side plates 30 extends into one of the opposed form shells, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous vertical line of welding 70, and to the form 54 by a continuous vertical line of welding 72.

With attention directed especially to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, each of the opposed horizontal rear corner post structures 40 is comprised of the same components as the above-described vertical rear corner post structures 38, and similar reference numerals have been applied on the drawings to designate the corresponding components.

As also particularly illustrated in FIGURE 5 with respect to the upper one, each of the top and bottom marginal edge portions 74 of the rear end plate 28 extends into one of the opposed form shells of the rear horizontal corner post structure 40, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 76, and to the form 54 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 78. Similarly, as also illustrated in FIGURE 5 with respect to the upper one, each of the rear marginal edge portions 80 of the top and bottom plates 22 and 24 extends into one of the opposed form shells of the corner post structure 40, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 82, and to the form 54 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 84.

With attention directed particularly to FIGURES 4, 7 and 9, both of the horizontal top corner post structures 42, and both of the bottom corner post structures 44 are also comprised of components similar to those earlier described in detail relatively to the rear corner post structures 38, and similar reference numerals have been applied on the drawings to designate the corresponding components.

As particularly illustrated in FIGURE 7 with respect to the upper one, and in FIGURE 9 with respect to the lower one, the top and bottom marginal edge portions 86 of the side plates 30 each extends into one of the form shells of the structure 42. The opposed form shell of the structure 44, is welded to the form plate 52 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 88, and to the form 54 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 90. With reference also to FIGURE 4, the side marginal edge portions 92 of the top plate 22 each extends into one of the opposed form shells of the structures 42, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 94, and to the form 54 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 96. In like manner, each of the side marginal edge portions 98 of the bottom plate 24 extends into one of the opposed form shells of the structures 44, and is welded to the form 52 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 100, and to the form 54 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 102, as more clearly seen in FIGURE 9.

Each of the pair of front vertical corner post structures 46, one of them being shown by full lines in FIGURE and by broken lines in FIGURE 12, is constructed like the rear corner post structures 38, and like reference numerals identify the corresponding elements that appear in said views.

Although not illustrated in the other views of the drawings, the present invention contemplates additional weldings applied at the intersections of vertical corner post structures and horizontal corner post structures, especially when a barge 14 of comparatively large dimensions is built. A typical such intersection is schematically portrayed in FIGURE 15, where the aforesaid additional lines of continuous welding are designated by the numeral 103. As indicated by the reference numerals applied thereto, FIGURE 15 portrays the intersection of a vertical rear corner post structure 38, a horizontal rear corner post structure 40, a horizontal corner post structure 44, the bottom plate 24, the rear end plate 28, and one of the pair of side plates 30.

As shown in FIGURES 8, 10 and 11, the front marginal edge portion 104 of the top plate 22 lies atop the plurality of transversely spaced upper brace plates 47, and is welded to the upper end of the plate 26 by a continuous horizontal line of welding 106. The brace plates 47 are welded to the vertical portion of the plate 26 as indicated at 108. Each of the plurality of transversely spaced lower brace plates 48 is welded to the angular portion 36 of the plate 26 as indicated at 110, and to the arcuate end portion 32 of the bottom plate 24, as indicated at 112.

The headlog section 20, which is a special cover post or stringer, includes a horizontally disposed column of concrete material 114. In the ultimate barge, the concrete 114 is confined between the front end portion of the deck plate 16, the end plate 26, the portion 34 of the bottom plate 24, a steel headlog cap 116, the forward end portions 118 of the side plates 30, the forward end portions 120 of the upper corner post structures 42, the forward end portions 122 of the lower corner post structures 44, and the opposed front corner post structures 46. Consequently as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 12 the concrete 114 fills the entire hollow space defined by the confining elements described. A plurality of horizontally spaced stiffener plates 124 is interposed in the column 114 between the opposed side wall portions 118, one of said plates being shown per se in FIGURE 13 The plates 124 are formed of steel, and are contoured to engage against the inner surfaces of the deck plate 16, the end plate 26, the bottom plate portion 34, and the headlog cap 116. Each stiffener plate 124 is provided centrally with a circular opening 126, and peripherally with a series of arcuate indentations 128. Consequently in pouring the concrete to form the column 114, the wet material flows through and around the openings 126 and indentations 128, Thus, when the concrete hardens, the plates 124 are imbedded in the column 114. The opening 126 and the indentations 128 also lighten the weight of each plate, without decreasing its reinforcing capacity.

The headlog end cap 116 includes integrally: a vertically disposed main body 130, a rearwardly projecting top flange segment 132, a rearwardly projecting bottom cange segment 134, and connecting side flange segments 136. The top flange segment 132 is welded to the deck plate by a continuous transverse line of welding 138. The bottom flange segment 134 is welded to the bottom plate portion 34 by a continuous transverse line of welding 140. Although not shown in the drawings, the side flange segments 136 may be appropriately spot-welded to the arcuate forms 54 of the upper and lower side corner post structures 42 and 44. At the rear and at the sides, the deck plate 16 is welded to the arcuate forms 54 of the upper horizontal corner post structures 40 and 42 by continuous line of welding 142, shown particularly in FIGURES 5, 7, 11 and 12.

In view of the foregoing description and the drawings, it is believed that a comprehensive presentation of the features and advantages of the invention ha been given. The concrete-reinforced steel corner construction serves to protect the rear and sides of the hull body against damage even should the barge or other type of vessel become involved in a severe collision. The concrete-reinforced headlog section serves in a similar capacity. The various described weldings serve not only to integrate the components thereof, but also to prevent entry of water into the hull body.

The present barge construction obviously may be modified in some respects by those skilled in the art. Wherefore, the invention is not limited to the precise structural details illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A vessel construction having protective means reinforcing and protecting external and exposed corners of the vessel from contact damage, said protective means comprising corner posts comprised of concrete encased in an exterior protective steel shell and wherein the hull body includes: a steel top plate; a steel bottom plate; a steel front end plate including a vertical portion and an angular portion; a steel rear end plate; a pair of opposed steel side plates; a pair of vertical rear corner post structures; a pair of horizontal rear corner post structures; a pair of horizontal top side corner post structures; a pair of horizontal bottom side corner post structures; a pair of front vertical corner post structures; a plurality of transversely spaced upper brace plates; and a plurality of transversely spaced lower brace plates, the rear marginal edge portions of the top and bottom plates extending into and being integrated with the horizontal rear corner post structures; the side marginal edge portions of the top and bottom plates extending into and being integrated with the horizonal top and bottom corner post structures; the front marginal edge portion of the top plate being integrated with the front end plate; the front marginal edge portion of the bottom plate extending into the headlog section; the top and bottom marginal edge portions of the rear end plate extending into and being integrated with the rear horizontal corner post structures; the opposed side marginal edge portions of the rear end plate extending into and being integrated with the rear vertical corner post structures; the top marginal edge portions of the side plates extending into and being integrated with the top side corner post structures; the bottom marginal edges of the side plates extending into and being integrated with the bottom side corner post structures; the rear marginal edge porions of the side plates extending into and being integrated with the rear vertical corner post structures; the plurality of transversely spaced upper brace plates each being integrated with the said vertical portion of the front end plate; the plurality of transversely spaced lower brace plates each being integrated with said angular portion of the front end plate.

2. The vessel construction of claim 1 wherein each of the recited corner post structures is comprised of a column of concrete confined within an elongated shell including an inner angularly contoured steel form and an exposed outer arcuately contoured steel form coextensive therewith and parallel thereto.

3. The vessel construction of claim 1 wheerin each of the recited corner post structures is comprised of a column of concrete confined within an elongated steel including an inner angularly contoured steel form and an outer arcuately contoured steel form coextensive therewith and parallel thereto; and wherein a plurality of spaced steel stiffener plates is imbedded in the concrete column intermediate the ends thereof, each stilfener plate being so contoured as to engage against the inner surfaces of said angularly contoured and said arcuately contoured forms; each stiffener plate being provided centrally with a circular opening and peripherally with a series of arcuate indentations.

4. A vessel construction having protective means reinforcing and protecting external and exposed corners of the vessel from contact damage, said protective means comprising corner posts comprised of concrete encased 1n an exterior protective steel shell and means integrating the steel components of the hull body; a headlog section formed of concrete and steel components, said headlog section being incorporated in and constituting the leading end of the hull body; means integrating the steel components of the headlog section; a deck plate formed of steel; and means integrating said deck plate and the therebelow hull body and headlog section and wherein the headlog section includes: a horizontally disposed column of concrete confined between the front end portion of said steel deck plate, a front end plate included in said hull body, the front end portion of a bottom plate included in the hull body, a steel headlog end cap member integrated with said deck plate and with the bottom plate included in said hull body, the forward end portions of upper and lower side corner post structures included in the hull body, opposed front corner post structures included in the hull body, and the forward end portions 8f 51 pair of opposed side plates also included in said hull 5. The barge construction of claim 4 wherein a plurality of spaced stiffener plates is imbedded in the concrete column intermediate the ends thereof, each stiffener plate being so contoured as to engage against the inner surfaces of said deck plate, said front end plate, the front end portion of said bottom plate and the main body portion of said headlog cap; each stiffener plate being provided centrally with a circular opening and peripherally with a series of arcuate indentations.

6. The barge construction of claim 4 wherein the recited steel headlog end cap member comprises integrally: a main vertically disposed body portion, a rearwardly projecting top flange segment, a similar bottom flange segment, and a pair of opposed rearwardly projecting side flange segments connecting the top and bottom flange segments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,596,723 8/1926 Ellis. 2,371,964 3/1945 Lee 11465.1 3,306,245 2/1967 Yee 11465.1

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

